Contest Update Issues

Contester's Rate Sheet for March 26, 2003

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Contester's Rate Sheet
26 March 2003
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Edited by Ward Silver, N0AX
SUMMARY
o Coming up -- CQ WPX SSB and VHF Spring Sprints
o A new vendor and a new modeling program
o Sprint log turnaround tightens to 7 days
o Lots of contest results -- FQP, CQP, CW Sweepstakes, CW Sprint
o Mystery beads
o Determining True North
BULLETINS
o None - I've been getting quite enough bulletins lately, thank you.
BUSTED QSOS
o A bug in the process of posting Contest Corral information to the
ARRL Contest Calender Web site broke several URLs for contest
information. These should be corrected shortly -- in the meantime, if
you're having trouble with the Web address, try the address without
"www" in front. For example, the Web site for the Georgia QSO Party
is shown as http://www.gqp.contesting.com/, but the correct URL is
just http://gqp.contesting.com. (Thanks, Bob W2SR)
o The Spring QRP Homebrewer Sprint that ran from 0000Z-0400Z Mar 24
was mistakenly listed as "Monday in the US" -- it's actually Sunday
evening local time. Sorry about that. (Thanks, Bill AB1AV)
ANNOUNCEMENT & NOTICES FOR 26 MARCH TO 8 APRIL 2003
Logs are due for the following contests:
o March 30 - UBA Spring Contest, CW, email to: on6kl@qsl.net, paper
logs to: Lode Kenens, ON6KL, Oudestraat 8, B-3560 Lummen, Belgium
o March 30 - SARL VHF/UHF Contest, email to: admin@sarl.org.za, paper
logs to: SARL VHF/UHF Contest, PO Box 1721, Strubensvallei 1735,
Republic of South Africa
o March 31 - New Hampshire QSO Party, email to: NH-QSO@nhradio.org,
paper logs to: NH-ARRL QSO Party, PO Box 119, Goffstown, NH
03045-0119, USA
o March 31 - Dutch PACC Contest, email to: pa0adt@dutchpacc.com, paper
logs to: Ad van Tilborg, PA0ADT, Schepenenveld 141, 7327 DB Apeldoorn,
Netherlands
o March 31 - CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB, email to: cq160@kkn.net, paper
logs to: CQ 160-Meter Contest, 25 Newbridge Road, Hicksville, NY
11801, USA
o March 31 - AGCW VHF/UHF Contest, email to: vhf-uhf@agcw.de, paper
logs to: Manfred Busch, DK7ZH, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Weg 6, D-63069
Offenbach/Main, Germany
o April 1 - North Carolina QSO Party, email to:
henry@summitschool.com, paper logs to: NC QSO Party, c/o Henry
Heidtmann, 934 Franklin St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
o April 1 - ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB, email to: DXPhone@arrl.org,
paper logs to: DX Phone Contest, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT
06111, USA
o April 1 - DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest, email to: df5bx@darc.de,
paper logs to: Werner Ludwig, DF5BX, PO Box 1270, 49110
Georgsmarienhuette, Germany
o April 2 - Open Ukraine RTTY Championship, email to:
krs@model.poltava.ua, paper logs to: George Ignatov, UT1HT, PO Box 87,
Kremenchug-21 39621, Ukraine
o April 6 - High Speed Club CW Contest, email to: (none), paper logs
to: Contest Manager Lutz Schroer. DL3BZZ, Am Niederfeld 6, D-35066
Frankenberg, Germany
o April 7 - RSGB Commonwealth Contest, CW, email to:
commonwealth.contest.logs@rsgbhfcc.org, paper logs to: RSGB-G3UFY, 77
Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England
o April 7 - SOC Marathon Sprint, email to: n4bp@arrl.net, paper logs
to: Bob Patten, N4BP, 2841 N.W. 112 Terrace, Plantation, FL 33323,
USA
o April 7 - North American Sprint, RTTY, email to:
rttysprint@ncjweb.com, paper logs to: Douglas McDuff, W4OX, 10380 SW
112th Street, Miami, FL 33176, USA
The following contests are scheduled:
Note that the following abbreviations are used to condense the contest
rules summaries:
SO - Single-Op; M2 - Multiop - 2 Transmitters; MO - Multi-Op; MS -
Multi-Op, Single Transmitter; MM - Multi-Op, Multiple Transmitters; AB
- All Band; SB - Single Band; S/P/C - State/Province/DXCC Entity; HP -
High Power; LP - Low Power; Entity - DXCC Entity
HF CONTESTS
CQ WW SSB WPX Contest--SSB--sponsored by CQ Magazine, from 0000Z Mar
29 - 2400Z Mar 30. Frequencies: 160 -- 10 meters. Categories: SOAB,
SOSB, SO-Assisted, -HP, LP, and --QRP, MS (10-min rule), MM,
SO-Rookie, SO-Tribander-and-Single-Wire, SO-Band-Restricted. SO
operate 36 hours max with off times at least 60 min. Exchange: RS(T) +
serial number. QSO Points: different continents--3pts (14 - 28 MHz)
and 6 pts (1.8 - 7 MHz), with North America--2 pts (14 - 28 MHz) and 4
pts (1.8 - 7 MHz), with own country--1 pt. Score: QSO points x
prefixes worked (ie, N8, KA1, HG73, JD1) counted only once. For more
information--http://home.woh.rr.com/wpx/. Logs due May 1 to
wpxssb@kkn.net.
Missouri QSO Party--CW/SSB--sponsored by the Boeing Employees Amateur
Radio Society of St. Louis (BEARS) from 1800Z Apr 5 - 0500Z Apr 6, and
1800Z - 2400Z Apr 6. Frequencies (MHz): CW--40 kHz from band edge and
1.810; Phone--1.850, 3.980, 7.280, 14.280, 21.380, 28.310, work MO
stations once per band and mode. Categories: Fixed, MO Mobile, MO
Rover. Exchange: RST, serial number, and MO county or SPC. QSO Points:
CW--2 pts, Phone 1 pt. Score: MO stations--QSO Points x States +
Provinces + MO counties + 1 for DX; non-MO stations--QSO Points x MO
counties. Multipliers count only once. QSOs with W0MA count add'l 100
QSO points. For more information--http://www.qsl.net/w0ma. Logs due 30
days after the contest to n0aj@arrl.net or James L Kinser N0AJ, 2147
Encino Dr, Florissant, MO 63031-7627.
Montana QSO Party--Phone/CW/Digital--sponsored by the Flathead Valley
Amateur Radio Club from 2300Z Apr 5 - 2300Z Apr 6. Frequencies: 160
meters -- 70 cm, no categories, repeaters and IRLP are permitted.
Exchange: RST and SPC or MT county. If a station changes counties, it
can be worked again. Score: QSOs x SPC + MT counties (counted only
once). Logs due May 10 to k7lyy@arrl.net or rosscons@digisys.net or
FVARC, 117 Rainbow Drive, Kalispell, MT 59901.
MARAC County Hunters Contest--SSB--sponsored by The Mobile Amateur
Radio Awards Club from 0000Z Apr 5 - 2400Z Apr 6. Frequencies (MHz):
3.880, 7.240, 14.275, 21.340, 28.340, work fixed stations once/band
and mobiles once for each county and band. Exchange: RST and county or
SPC. County line QSOs count as one QSO but separate multipliers. QSO
Points: Fixed stations in NA--1 point, Mobile/Portable--15 points,
DX--5 pts, one station must be in a US county. Score: QSO Points x US
counties (count only once). Mobile/Portables sum score from each
state. For more information--http://www.countyhunter.com. Logs must be
postmarked by May 10 to (US Logs) Duane Traver WV2B, 99 Oregon Hill
Rd, Lisle, NY 13797-1002 or (Non-US Logs) Scott Nichols, VE1OP, 387
Rudderham Rd, Point Edward, NS B2A 4V6, Canada.
EA RTTY Contest--sponsored by the Unión de Radioaficianados Españoles
(URE.) from 1600Z Apr 5 - 1600Z Apr 6. Frequencies: 80 -- 10 meters,
according to IARU band plan. Categories: SOAB, SOSB, MOAB, SWL.
Exchange: RST and serial number or EA Province. QSO Points: 10 - 20
meters: own continent--1 pt, diff cont--2 pts; 40 and 80 meters: own
cont--3 pts, diff cont--6 pts. Score is QSO points x DXCC entities +
EA provinces + W/VE/JA/VK call areas counted once per band. If
operating portable, sign /call area. Logs due May 10 to
ea1mv@retemail.es as ASCII text or Cabrillo format or Antonio Alcolado
EA1MV, PO Box 240, E-09400 Aranda de Duero, (Burgos) Spain
47th Annual QCWA QSO Party--CW/Digital/SSB--sponsored by the Quarter
Century Wireless Association from 1900Z Apr 5 - 1900Z Apr 6.
Frequencies (MHz): CW--1.910, 3.540, 7.035, 14.040, 21.050, 28.050;
Phone--1.810, 3.890, 7.244, 14.262, 21.365, 28.325 plus all VHF/UHF
bands, no crossband or repeater QSOs. 15 QSOs with each station
maximum and only one QSO with stations in home QCWA chapter. Exchange:
Last two digits of year licensed and QCWA chapter or SPC. QSO Points:
Phone--1 pt, CW/Digital--2 pts. Score: QSO Points x QCWA chapters +
SPC counted once per band. W2MM counts as a 3-point multiplier on each
band. For more information--http://
http://www.qcwa.org/2003qso-party.htm. Send logs to W0HXL, Dick
Newsome, 2924 North 48th Street, Omaha NE 68104-3726.
SP DX Contest--CW/SSB--sponsored by the PZK Polish Amateur Radio Union
and the SP DX Club from 1500Z Apr 5 - 1500Z Apr 6. Frequencies: 160 --
10 meters, according to the IARU Region I band plan, no crossmode
QSOs. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (CW, SSB, or Mixed), MS Mixed (incl.
nets, packet, Internet), SWL Mixed. Exchange: RS(T) and serial number
or Polish province abbreviation. QSO Points: 3 pts for each SP
contact, SP stations count 3 pts outside EU, 1 pt for EU (no pts for
SP-SP QSOs). Score is QSO points x provinces (counted once per band
and mode) or DXCC entities (for Polish stations). For more
information--http://www.qsl.net/la0fx or sp6cik@op.onet.pl. Logs due
Apr 30 to spdxc-logs@pzk.org.pl (Cabrillo format preferred) or to
Polski Zwiazek Krotkofalowcow, SPDX Contest Committee, PO Box 320,
00-950 Warszawa, Poland.
VHF CONTESTS
VHF Spring Sprints--144 MHz CW/SSB--sponsored by the Eastern Tennessee
DX Association from 7 - 11 PM local time, 4 Apr; (222 MHz from 7-11 PM
Apr 12 and 432 MHz from 7 - 11 PM Apr 19). Fixed and Rover categories.
Exchange is Grid Square only, count 1 pt per QSO. Score is QSO Points
x Grid Squares, score each sprint separately. Rovers and Microwave
sprints total all points and all grids worked from each grid. For more
information -- http://www.etdxa.org/vhf.htm. Logs must be emailed or
postmarked within four weeks of the contest to springsprints@etdxa.org
or Jeff J Baker, 8218 Foxworth Trail, Powell, TN 37849.
NEWS & PRESS RELEASES
The ARRL Contest Desk has been busy lately. Not the least of their
accomplishment is the mailing of Clean Sweep mugs -- the W7LVI crew
received our mugs last week and they look great!
Talk about being made to feel inadequate...the cover feature of the
latest National Contest Journal is K9DX's large 9-element circular
160-meter array (210 foot radius). N6LF pumps you right back up with a
series of designs for single-support gain antennas for the low-bands.
The issue also includes an inspiring article by K0AD on revitalizing
the Minnesota Wireless Association contest club. There's a review of
the K2/100 by N6XI and OH5DX's interview of K1ZM about the VY2ZM
contest station. Column topics include the January VHF SS,
reconfiguring from multi-op to single-op, two-radio (SO2R), RTTY
Sprint results, info on budget computing, and the Contest Character
Awards for 2002-2003. There is no truth to the rumor that the present
and past NCJ editors have agreed to pose for an upcoming NCJ Swimsuit
issue. On-line subscriptions to NCJ are available at
http://www.ncjweb.com. (Thanks to NCJ Editor, Carl K9LA)
We have a new vendor of ham radio stuff - Watts Unlimited. Their first
amateur product is the PS-2500A high-voltage switching power supply
for tube amplifiers using the 3-500Z, 8873, 3CX800A7, 3CX1200A7 and
others. The design of this supply was originally described in QEX and
it is now for sale as a commercial product. The PS-2500A provides 2500
VDC under full load of 1.1A or 3000 VDC at about 700mA. Input is 240
VAC 50/60Hz at 13A full load. It weighs only weighs ten pounds and
measures 11.75 X 6 X 6 inches including the heatsink. It is available
completely assembled for $698 or in kit form for $585. For full specs,
visit http://www.wattsunlimited.com or contact Watts Unlimited, 886
Brandon Lane, Schwenksville, PA 19473. Tel: (610) 764-9514. E-mail:
wattsunlimited@aol.com. (Thanks, Tim W9QQ)
Dan AC6LA invites you to try the new MultiNEC 2.0 program. MultiNEC
does both antenna modeling and propagation predictions. You can model
your contest station antenna and then see the expected performance
using MultiNEC's built-in and simplified interface to the powerful
VOACAP propagation prediction engine. Propagation info can be
generated in the form of area coverage maps and/or point to point
plots, and the maps and plots can be animated to cover different
conditions if desired. Visit http://www.qsl.net/ac6la/ for more
details and a demo download.
One of the largest and oldest US contest clubs, The Frankford Radio
Club (FRC), announces its officers for 2003: President - Joe K3NM,
Vice President - John W8FJ, Secretary -- John K3ZV, and Treasurer -
Dan K2QM. (Thanks, Doug W3CF)
In a move to speed up log checking and results publication, the NCJ
Contest directors have agreed to shorten the log submission deadling
to 7 days for the CW and SSB sprints starting in September. I believe
that only one paper log was received for the February sprints, so this
will be the first "major" contest to go completely electronic.
(Thanks, Tree N6TR)
RESULTS AND RECORDS
Results for the 2002 ARRL CW Sweepstakes are now available to ARRL
members at
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/contests/results/2002/SS-CW/. Randy,
K5ZD, is the author of the fine write-up -- thanks, Randy! Phone
results should be available shortly.
You might want to check
http://www.arrl.org/contests/results/index.html#2002 to be sure that
your logs have been received OK for the any of the 2003 ARRL
contests.
The CW Sprint Results have been posted to the NCJ web site at
http://www.ncjweb.com. Click on the CONTESTS tab and then RESULTS
under the Sprints section. Use the drop down menus to select the
contest. The full writeup will be available as a PDF file as soon as
the next NCJ is published. (Thanks, Tree N6TR)
The California QSO Party 2002 results are also available at
http://www.cqp.org/Results-2002.html. This year, a total of 597 logs
were received, which is a whopping 21% increase over last year. The
very first non-CA club plaque goes to the Tennessee Contest Group with
16 entries totaling 703,996 points! There is also a history of the CQP
at The history of the CQP is at http://www.cqp.org/History.html.
(Thanks, Marc W6ZZZ)
The Florida Contest Group also announces that the results from the
2002 Florida QSO Party are now available on the Florida QSO Party Web
site, http://www.qsl.net/fqp, including a detailed write up by FQP log
checker and FCG President, Dan K1TO. All records have been updated.
The next FQP is April 26 & 27. (Thanks, Ron WD4AHZ)
TECHNICAL & TECHNIQUE
Dink, N7WA reports that a large number of claimed-score reports from
the ARRL DX contests CW and SSB where the stations are being entered
into the 3830 score reporting Web page (http://
http://www.hornucopia.com/3830score/) with the wrong region. I.e. --
USA vs. DX. Even though you have to actually select the menu choice,
it's still easy to goof. For you globetrotters out there, be sure to
select the region you operated from, not your home location. Mistakes
can be corrected by just resubmitting -- you'll be asked whether you
wish to repost the score or simply update the database. Corrections
are manully reviewed by N7WA or WA7BNM, so it may take a day or two to
show. (Thanks, Dink N7WA)
If you build or repair equipment and you've noticed that the parts and
pieces are getting smaller and smaller with each passing year, getting
a some kind of assistance for your eyes is a good idea. From the QRP
reflector (http://qrp.lehigh.edu/lists/qrp-l/) several good sources
for magnifiers were suggested, including the local hobby store or
craft store, fabric store, sewing section of department stores, and
on-line retailers such as American Science and Surplus. The "Mag
Eyes" model was mentioned, as well as a caution to try them first
because everyone's eyes are different. High-powered reading glasses
(+3.5 diopter) may be suitable for smaller jobs. (pun accepted)
Mystery ferrite cores and beads are often found surplus and at
hamfests. If you've wondered about the characteristics of these
materials, you might find the answers in the Fair-Rite catalog, which
is downloadable from http://www.fair-rite.com/. Type 43 material is
by far the most common. If you have access to an impedance meter,
such as the Autek RX Vector Analyst, Model VA1, measure the complex
impedance of a test winding of one, two, or five turns, depending on
frequency. Match what you find against the characteristics given in
the Fair-Rite catalog, which includes formulas for inductance and a
lot of other useful information. (Thanks, Chuck W1HIS)
Given the crazy state of the world today, being prepared for an
emergency is a good idea. While contesters tend have good operating
skills and stations, to make the most of your assets, you need to have
some familiarity with procedures and the agency being served - and a
willingness to put your ego on the back burner. The ARRL Emergency
Communications on-line courses are a good start - EC-001 is often
completely reimbursed. You can also participate in a local ARES or
RACES group, or get a little experience with a traffic net by checking
in on occasion. The ARRL emergency services URL is
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/emergency/.
CONVERSATION
Since our gray matter is likely to be thinking about more weighty
matters than lofty thoughts about contesting, a couple of marginal
witticisms are in order.
From the WPX RTTY Soapbox of the W6YX team -- "Delicious looking cream
puffs were prepared for dessert. They were frozen, and we wanted to
avoid a nuking mess in the microwave. How to solve this problem?
Ahhhh, the amplifiers seemed to be warming the room quite nicely.
Let's place them on top of the Alpha 78 and watch them transform into
wonderful, lightly browned masterpieces. Marc was thereby ordered to
keep up the rate for the sake of the cream puffs! No excessive CQing
without answers, or the cream puffs would get too mushy. No S&P,
because the cream puffs would never warm. A
sustained run was required. One look at the log shows Marc played his
cards perfectly, with a job well done on the radio and the cream
puffs! With apologies to Mel Torme, it wasn't exactly Chestnuts
Roasting on an Open Fire, but rather, Cream Puffs Thawing on an
Amplifier!" (Thanks, Dean N6DE)
Something we all need to know is an exact method for finding True
North. Having observed several in-depth discussions on this topic, I
believe that I have distilled the assembled wisdom of many emails into
the following guaranteed 13-step process:
1 -- Stack all patio furniture in the garage. No particular reason,
just do it.
2 -- Don your tower climbing belt, which must include two gorilla
hooks and a positioning lanyard, lots of caribeeners, a Danforth
anchor and a planetary gearhead.
3 -- Prepare some epoxy and obtain 200 meters of Thelman wire.
4 -- Use a slingshot, fishing rod, or potato gun to fling the Thelman
wire through the top of the tower. Secure it to a convenient guy
anchor with a caribeener and a Singapore Sling tied in a Four-In-Hand
Knot.
5 -- Climb the tower.
6 -- Return down the tower to pick up the Plastic Owl.
7 -- Climb the tower.
8 -- Return down the tower to brief the ground crew and agree on hand
signals. Name the Plastic Owl.
9 -- Go to the bathroom and climb the tower again in that order.
10 -- At the top of the tower, scare away the birds by securing the
Plastic Owl to the wasp's nest using the Danforth anchor. Attach the
planetary gearhead to the Thelman wire using the epoxy.
11 --Clip your positioning lanyard to the gearhead and spin around the
tower twice saying, "There's no place like home, there's no place like
home."
12 -- Yell down to the ground crew and have them point to True North.
Take the average of the directions in which they point and compute the
vector cross-product. You may ignore your estimated direction because
you're a scalar. (Sorry, obscure math joke.)
13 - Mark a large "X" on the side of your tool bucket. This is True
North and so shall it always be.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Contester's Rate Sheet wishes to acknowledge information from the
following sources:
WA7BNM's Contest Calendar Web page -
http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/ ARRL Contest page -
http://www.arrl.org/contests/
SM3CER's Web site - http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/